"Spent nuclear fuel belongs at Yucca Mountain when that facility is licensed," said Chairman Barton. "We need to move this fuel from hundreds of nationwide communities, using safe and secure transportation, to a well-studied and very secure permanent repository in the middle of a mountain in the desert. Opponents of nuclear power exploited fears of terrorist activity and said waste should not be moved off-site. Not only is that a back door way to try and stop nuclear power, but that argument is also wrong, as this GAO report indicates."

"I want to commend Chairman Barton for requesting this crucial study on behalf of the health and safety of the American people," said Chairman Tauzin. "Assessing the risks involved with the transport and storage of spent nuclear fuels is absolutely critical to ensuring our national security. The GAO has told us that the likelihood of widespread harm to human health in the case of a terrorist attack on spent nuclear fuel in transit is extremely low. This information will be critical as the Energy and Commerce Committee oversees the Department of Energy's efforts to further enhance the security of spent nuclear fuel shipments to the Yucca Mountain site."

The GAO study was requested by Barton in an effort to review federally sponsored studies that examined the potential health effects of a terrorist attack or a severe accident involving commercial spent nuclear fuel either in transit or in storage. Barton also requested that GAO identify options for the Department of Energy (DOE) to enhance security of spent fuel as it develops its plans to ship the fuel to Yucca Mountain. The GAO's study revealed a low likelihood of widespread harm associated with transport and storage of spent nuclear fuels. GAO's findings include a review of transportation modes for shipping spent nuclear fuel to Yucca Mountain, which have been determined to be relatively safe and secure, but recommends that DOE identify options to further enhance security of spent fuel shipments to the site.

Download the GAO Report (Adobe PDF)